Engine-cylinder.



J. W. GRUZAN.

ENGINE CYLINDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.25, 1913.

3 1 9 1 9 C. 6 D M m .w a P aosnrn w. cnUzAn, or names, ILLINOIS.

ENGINE-CYLINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented-Dec.9,1913.

Application filed March 25, 1913. 3 Serial No. 756,638.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH W. CRUZAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mattoon, in the county ofColes and. State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-Cylinders, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in engine cylinders, and has forits object to provide an improved cylinder, in which the reciprocatingpiston rod may be securely packed and lubricated.

In present-day steam engine practice, especially in the case ofhigh-powered locomotives, the super-heated steam is almost altogetherutilized, the same being supplied to the engine cylinder atapproximately six hundred degrees temperature. This tends to heat allmetal parts to an excessive degree. As will be explained later, theusual packing construction employed to prevent leakage of steam aroundthe reciprocating piston rod consists of metal rings, or rings partiallyformed of metal, the same being comparatively soft, to reduce frictionand to closely fit the reciprocating rod. The friction engenderedbetween the rod and these metal packing rings, coupled with theexcessive heat of the super-heated steam, tends to abnormally heat therings, so that very often they melt and thereby permit the escape ofsteam from the cylinder, which is not only detrimental to the operationof the locomotive, but also dangerous.

. By my construction I prevent the raising of the temperature of thecontacting points beyond a safe point, and I also provide forlubricating means to reduce the friction engendered.

Other objects will be set forth and made apparent in the followingspecification and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of an engine cylinder, showing my invention applied thereto,the engine being indicated diagrammatically; and Fig. 2 is a verticalsect-ion, showing the details of the piston rod packing and my coolingand lubricating device.

Like numerals refer to like elements throughout the drawings, in which10 designates generally the locomotive having the usual steam boiler,11.

12 designates the engine cylinder, having the cylinder-head 13 securedto one end thereof. This head 13 is provided with the aperture 14therein, through which is adapted to'projectv the piston rod 15. Thisaperture 14 is of such diameter as to permit reciprocation therein ofthe piston rod 15,

without contacting therewith, but at the same time is as small aspossible to prevent, as much as possible, the admission of steamtherethrough.

The cylinder head, 13, is provided with an outwardly projecting sleeveportion, 16, having the bolting flange, 17, at its outer portion, andprovided with the chamber 18 therein, of greater diameter than that ofthe opening, 14, whereby a shoulder, 19, is

formed, as shown in Fig. 2.

The packing gland, 20, is located outwardly of the sleeve portion, 16,and has one face in contact with the flange 17 thereof. Wire packingrings, 21, of soft wire, are located between the contacting faces of thegland, 20, and flange 17 being located approximately concentrically withrespect to the chamber, 18. The gland 20 is provided with the boltingapertures, 22, and bolts 23, are inserted therein and have threadedends, 23, threadably engaging the bolting flange, 17 of the sleeveportion, 16.

As will be apparent, these bolts may be utilized to draw the gland, 20,into close contact with the sleeve portion, 16, of cylinder head, 13.Located in alinement with the chamber, 18, and formed in the gland, 20,is the aperture 24, having the shoulder, 24 adjacent one extremity, andthe chamfered or inclined shoulder 24 with a slightly inclined concavesurface, adjacent the opposite extremity. A ring, 25, is provided withthe partially spherical surface, 25, contacting with the concave surface24", forming a ball and socket joint therewith.

What is termed a vibrating cup, 26, has one extremity in contact withthe rear face of the ring, 25. This vibrating cup is provided with theinwardly projecting V portion, 27, closely fitting around the rod, 15,the inner surface of the vibrating cup being rearwardly inclined fromthe point 27, to form a seat for the packing ring, 28, which is inclinedto slide on and fit the sur face 27 of the vibrating cup, 26. Thepacking rings, 29 and 30, are located within the vibrating cup, 26, andback of the ring, 28.

The follower plate, 31, fits around the rod, 15, and is provided with aforwardly projecting portion, 31, pressing. against the cup, 26, andinto contact with the piston rod, 15. The follower plate, 31, is furtherprovided with the outwardly extending peripheral flange, 33, adapted tocontact with the rearface of the vibrating cup, 26, after a certainamount of wear of the rings, thereby limiting the forward movement ofthe follower plate, 31. It will be apparent that as the piston rod movesinwardly in the cylinder, the frictional contact between the rings andthe rod would normally tend to carry the rings inwardly. This isprevented by the spring, 32, and also by the fact that the peripheralflange, 33, is. of greaterexternal diameter than the diameter ofchamber, 18, sothat the said flange will contact with the outer face ofthe bolting flange 17.

conventional construction, havin As explained above, super-heated steam,when admitted through the opening 14, will tend to heat the metal ringsas well as the piston rod, and this heat, together with that generatedby the friction between the rings and rod, tends to melt the metal, orpartial metal, rings, 28, 29 and 30. To obviate this danger, I provide apipe or other duct, 35, shown as communicatin at 10 with the boiler ofthe engine, with the locomotive boiler, 11. This pipe, 35, is connectedby a coupling, 36, to the supply pipe, 37, which communicates with theinterior of chamber 18. Saturated steam from the boiler may thus besupplied to the interior of chamber 18, and since in ordinary practicethis saturated steam is maintained at about 380 degrees, and since itwill become slightly cooled in traveling from the engine boiler to thechamber 18, it will be apparent that a cooling efl'ect of greater than260 degrees will be exerted, thereby decreasing the heat of the metalrings to considerably below the melting point. Furthermore, thisadmission at boiler pressure of the saturated steam will tend to preventadmission of super-heatedsteam at the higher temperature into thechamber, 18, thereby preventing the direct overheating of the rings, 28,29 and 30. To provide for additional lubrication of the piston rod, 15,I provide an oil feed, 40,-of the pipe 41, communicating with theinterior of pipe 35. This oil cup is provided with the usual valve, 41,operated by the handle, 42, whereby oil at any desired speed of feed maybe admitted dlrectly to the .pipe, as, from which it will be carried bythe steam into constructlon, may be inserted in the pipe,

41, to permit the passage of oil therethrough,

but to prevent the steam pressure from backing up through the oil cup40.

It is to be understood that I have exaggerated the dimensions of severalof the parts, in order to more clearly illustrate my invention, and Iwish it understood that the supply pipe, 37, maybe of any desired sizeto restrlct the amount of saturated steam flowing therethrough. A valve44 of any form may be provided in the pipe, 35, to regulate the flow ofsteam therethrough.

While I have shown and described my device with more or lessparticularity, I do not wish to be unduly restricted to such showing ordescription, beyond the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a cylinder,a cylinder head, areciprocating iston rod extending through said cylinder ead, said headbeing enlarged to form a chamber about said rod, means to revent leakageof steam around said rod t rough said head, and means to supplysaturated ste m to said chamber.

2. In a device of the class described, a cylinder, a cylinder head, areciprocating piston rod extending through said cylinder head, said headbeing enlarged to form a chamber about said rod, means to preventleakageof steam around said rod through said head, and means to supplysaturated steam and lubricant to said piston rod in said chamber.

3'. In combination, a boiler adapted to generate steam, a cylinder, acylinder head,

a piston rod reciprocating in the said cylinder and extendin throughsaid cylinder head, said head Iming provided with a chamber surroundingsaid rod, a pipe communicating with said boiler and with said chamber,said pipe being adapted to supply saturated steam from the former to thelatter.

4. In combination, a boiler adapted to generate steam, a cylinder, acylinder head,

der and extending through said cylinder thereinto, te be conveyed withsaid steam to head, said head being provided With a chamsaid chamber. 10ber surrounding said rod, a pipe colnlnuni- In testimony whereof, I havesubscribed eating with said boiler and with said chalnmy name.

ber, said pipe being adapted to supply satu- JOSEPH W. CRUZAN. ratedsteam from the former to the latter, Witnesses:

and an oil supply communicating with said F. A. SNYDER,

pipe and adapted to feed lubricating oil A. H. SUTHERLAND.

